Aug. 30, 2006

Central hosts expanded season opener

PELLA—Promising Central College men's and women's cross country seasons kick off Saturday with the season-opening Central Dutch Invitational men's and women's cross country meet.

The races will be staged at the college's campus course at the Kuyper Athletics Complex.

Nine men's and women's collegiate teams are expected with boys' and girls' high school titles being contested as well. Joining Central in the collegiate field are Simpson, Monmouth ( Ill. ), Cornell, Principia ( Ill. ) and Robert Morris ( Ill. ) along with Iowa Central Community College and Southwest Community College . St. Mary ( Neb. ) and Peru State ( Neb. ) are both sending women's teams only.

The 5,000-meter women's race starts at 9:30 a.m. with the 6,000-meter men's race at 10:15 a.m. A 5,000-meter boys' junior varsity high school race is set for 11 a.m. with the boys' varsity race at 11:30, while a 4,000-meter girls' junior varsity high school race starts at noon and the girls' varsity race is at 12:30 p.m. Results will be posted Saturday afternoon at www.central.edu/athletics .

The field is the largest in the three-year history of the meet. Central's men's and women's squads each scored wins in three-team fields last season. Coach Jeff Bovee expects the men to encounter resistance from Iowa Central and Monmouth while Simpson , Iowa Central and Monmouth will each contend for the women's crown.

“It will certainly be a much more competitive meet this year,” Bovee said.

Veteran men's squad— Central senior Adam Wolf (Corning) is back to defend his individual title in the meet and leads an experienced men's squad. Bovee is looking for big things from his team leader, but is also excited about the progress some of his other returnees are making, most notably Brian Respeliers (senior, Council Bluffs , St. Albert HS) .

“Brian's been running real close to Adam in practice,” Bovee said. “He was running 85 miles a week the last half of the summer and should really be tough.”

Also likely in Central's top seven will be Brett Jones (senior, Knoxville ), Teddy Clark (sophomore, Montgomery , Ill. , Oswego HS), Jason Byrum (sophomore, Mount Union, Iowa ), Chase Ungs (senior, Ames ) and Brett Dietrich (junior, Williamsburg ). Tyler Keller (sophomore, Anna , Ill. , Anna-Jonesboro HS) , who has been battling injury, is a varsity contender as well, along with Oswego, Ill. freshmen Derrick Padovich and Pierre Taylor.

Young women's team shows promise— Bovee is also enthused about the progress of Central's freshman-dominated women's squad.

Highly regarded rookie Angela Berry (Indianola) is Central's likely front-runner, although Bovee said he's asking her to hold back in her first collegiate meet.

“She's going to be very good,” Bovee said. “It will be fun to see how she progresses this year.”

Sophomore returnees Jess Clark (Porty Byron , Ill. , Riverdale HS) and Nicki Thomas ( Omaha , Neb. , Millard North HS) will be near the top as well. Central should also get help from freshmen Kelsey Tompikins ( Webster City ), Amber Mayer (Essex), Jenni Hufford ( Polk City , Ankeny HS), Rachelle Tipton ( Newton ), Amy Ledvina ( Toledo , South Tama HS) and Mandie Barkley ( Fort Dodge ) , as well as Leanna Townsend (senior, Bondurant, Perry HS) . Townsend is competing for the first time as a senior, but is making a strong impression, Bovee said.

No course like home— Bovee and the runners remain thrilled with Central's on-campus course. New in 2004, the course has improved with maturity.

“Even with all the rain we've had lately, the course holds water better than ever,” Bovee said. “The footing keeps getting better. The footing is as good as any of the better cross country courses anywhere. It's in great condition.”

Central College Cross Country Course records
Women's 5,000 meters— 18:41, Kristy Feldman, Sept. 3, 2005
Women's collegiate 5,000 meters—18:42, Jen Wendt, Sept. 3, 2005
Women's collegiate 6,000 meters-- 20:15, Missy Buttry, Wartburg, Oct. 30, 2004
Girls' high school 4,000 meters --15:19, Sarah Larsen, Cedar Falls, Sept. 3, 2005
Men's collegiate 8,000 meters— 25:02, Josh Moen, Wartburg, Oct. 30, 2004
Boys' high school 5,000 meters— 17:42, Thomas Hlad, Knoxville, Sept. 3, 2005

Central Dutch Invitational meet records
Women's collegiate 5,000 meters-- 18:42, Jen Wendt, Sept. 3, 2005
Girls' high school 4,000 meters-- 15:19, Sarah Larsen, Cedar Falls,  Sept. 3, 2005
Men's collegiate 8,000 meters— 26:22, Adam Wolf, Central, Sept. 3, 2005
Boys' high school 5,000 meters— 17:42, Thomas Hlad, Knoxville, Sept. 3, 2005